Tobacco pipe reamer



1941- T. A. SIKORSKL 2,252,989

TOBACCO PIPE REAMER.

Filed Nov. 26, 1938 Patented Aug. 19, 1941 UNI TED I OFFI ronAcco PIPE REAMER ThaddeusA. Sikorski, Camden, N. J,-. Application Novemherfifi, 193:3g Serial No. 242,450 r 3 Claims. v(01.131413).

The purpose of the invention is to. provide. a.

device of simple construction, all metal and of economical cost of manufacture.

Theprincipal object of the invention is to; pro.- vide a quick, easy, uniform and equalized method of removing from the insi'de of the tobacco smoke ing pipe such accumulated carbon or cake and in any amounts' as preferred by the user,i. er, he can remove a small portion of the accumulation or out to the inner original surface of the tobacco pipe bowl.

A further purpose is to construct a tobacco pipe reamer having cutters mounted on prongs on either side of a U-shaped handle, the cross section ofthe prongs and cutters being such that the cutters extend obliquely outwardly from the prongs, desirably at an angle of about 40 with respect to the prongs in prolongation.

A further purpose is to produce a tobacco pipe reamer of a flat continuous sheet metal strip, with prongs forming arms of a U on either side of a handle, and cutters mounted upon the prongs, the strip material at the cutters being substantially narrower than the strip material in the handle.

A further purpose is to resiliently urge the cutters apart by a spring acting between the prongs holding the cutters at points adjacent the handle, the spring producing a spreading action according to the counteracting force exerted by the hand to supplement the normal spring of the strip material and determine the amount and depth of cut.

Describing in illustration and not in limitation and referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my novel tobacco pipe reamer.

Figure 2 is a right end elevation of the structure of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the reamer in use in a tobacco pipe bowl, the pipe being shown in central vertical section.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the reamer in position in a smoking pipe bowl, the pipe bowl being sectioned at 4-4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the completed reamer.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the spring removed.

Figure 7 is a section of a reamer prong and cutter on the line 1-1 of Figure 1.

A general description of the tobacco pipe reamer is as follows: It is constructed of a semiresilient strip of metal of width 9 and thickness l0 with a U -shaped handle I: of sufiicient width and depth to be easily held in the hand. The twoarms or prongs 3 for insertion into the pipe bowl area? the same material preferably slightly narrower in width. The operating portion: ofeachif prong is. defermed or bent; along a. longitudinal line H, the bendbeing preferably about 40 and the suitably sharpened, cutting edge is indicated at Z. The. cutting edges 2 engage diametrally opposite sides of. the pipe. interior where they cut.

remove or scrape. the accumulated tobacco. or

cake to any desired depth when the reamer is simply turned clockwise. The. longitudinal bend ing along the line H stiffens the blade, makes it more narrow, and also provides greatly increased clearance at l2 between the pipe and blade across the blade width. This latter feature permits more easy escape of the powdered cake making the reamer more effective and rapid.

A spring 5 is placed between the prongs about one-third of the way down from the top of the handle. The spring 5 preferably is a coiled spring tapering from the middle to the ends which are positioned and retained by inward lugs 4 from the prongs. The retaining lugs 4 may be pressed from the metal strip or may consist of rivets 4 or solder.

The spring 5 is intended to be any suitable resilient spreader compressed between the prongs and located downwardly from the handle and upwardly from the operating portions of the blades, being located between the top of the pipe bowl and the handle, maintaining cutting engagement between the blades and the bowl along the full depth of the bowl at diametrally opposite sides of the bowl, and with the pressure of engagement between the cutting or scraping edges 2 adjustably modified by the hand of the user.

The spring 5 is intended to be conventionally shown for any suitable compression spring, being illustrated, however as a fiat coil spring of known type.

The device is not necessarily confined to use in tobacco pipe bowls; it is intended to be used in any other suitable article and is susceptible to various changes and sizes and I claim all such as may come within the scope of the claims.

The handle I is U-shaped, and may be made of metal, plastic or other suitable material.

In operation the reamer is inserted as in Figure 3 into the bowl 6 of the pipe 1 by grasping the sides of the handle and compressing the blades against the retraction of the spring 5. The reamer is then turned clockwise while exerting by the bend su ficient compression to give the dethe handle to bulge the upper ends of the prongs outwardly. This contour of the prongs and cutters is shown in Figure 3.

The prongs and cutters being slightly narrower than the handle will conform to the curvature of even rather small pipe bowls. l

It will be evident that the oblique bend along the longitudinal line H of each blade at once stifiens the blade, makes it somewhat narrower adapting it to use with pipe bowls of smaller diameter and provides much greater clearance at l2 betweenthe bowl and blade, making it more effectivein its breaking or scrapingof the cake.

into fine particles'without digging into thebowl. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:'

'1. A tobacco pipe bowl reamer consisting of resilient' metallic strip material of generally U- shape, the base of the U'providing a handle and the arms of the "U providing prongs, cutters formed on longitudinal edges of the prongs facing in the same direction of rotationand a spring acting between the prongs near the handle and resiliently urging them apart, the spring being 10- cated outwardly of the cutters between the bowl and handle permitting hand adjustable compression of the spring for hand adjustment of the cutting pressure of the edges along their cutting length. 7 i

2. A tobacco pipe reamer consisting of a single resilient metal strip bent into general U form, the base of the U forming a handle and the arms of the U forming prongs, cutters one on each prong extending longitudinally of the prongs on edges of the prongs, both facing in the same direction of rotation, each prong having a longi- .tudinal bend of the cutting edge, stiffening and narrowing the blade and providing greater clearance away from the cutting edge and between the bowl and the body of the prong across the width thereof, and each cutter on the forward edge making an angle of less than 90 with the pipe bowl,-t he cross section of the strip through each prong and cutter being substantially narrower than the cross section in the handle.

3. A tobacco pipe bowl reamer consisting of a resilient metal strip bent into the 'form of a U,,

the base of the U acting as a handle and the arms ofgthe, U comprising prongs and each prong; having an outward longitudinal bend for a por tion of its length. from itsend'toward the handle and having scrapergouteredges along the-outwardly bent. portions for presentation to the pipe bowl at oppositesides thereof, each-scraper edge. making an angle of less than 90 with the pipe bowl.- i

' 'rnAnnnus A. sIKORsKI. 

